Improvement in horse hay-forks



J. B. DENNING.

'HORSE HAY-FORK.

Patented Dec.5,1876;

VIITNESSES s THE GRAPHIC C0.N.\C

UNITED STATES PATENT ,f)i:E;roE.A

JOHN B. DENNING, OF ROSS, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE HAV-FORKS.

. Specification forming part o'f Letters Patent No. 185,018, dated December 5, 1876; application led April 18, 1876.

The invention relates to a well-known class` of hay-forks, consisting essentially of a straight stock and pivoted arms or spurs operated by a sliding rod. f

The invention consists in the particular construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

A is the case or stock, in which is the sliding rod B, for throwing out and drawing in the spurs B", which are pivoted to the stock at C, and connected to the rod by the links D, said links being of suitable length to throw out the spurs nearly perpendicular to the rod when the rod is raised up to and engaged with the catch E, and at the same time they remain so inclined to the rod and the spurs that the rod slides down' easily to release and drop the load. The spring-catch E is arranged within the case or stock of the fork, and pivoted in line with the sliding rod B. The top portion of the latter is scarfed or cut away, and also notched, as shown in Fig. 2, to accommodate the head of catch E and adapt it for engagement therewith. This construction and arrangement of the catch and sliding rod economizes space, and enables the case to be made Hat and narrow, and at the same time avoids the necessity heretofore existing of pivoting the catch in such manner as to be exposed exteriorly of the case. The catch is tripped by a cord (not shown) attached to the arm F, which projects through the case A. The sliding rodB is pushed down by means ot' the arm or lug G, which projects through an elongated slot in the side of the case, and a cord is, in practice, likewise attached to the arm G, by which the fork may be drawn or swung to the place where the hay is to be dropped.

What I claim is- A harpoonfork, consisting of the pointed stock A, with its eye H, the sliding rod B, provided with laterally-projecting stud Gr, pierced for the attachment ot' a cord, the spurs B B', toggle-links D D, pivoted to the rod below their point of attachment to the spurs, and the spring-catch F, arranged and combined substantially as described.

, JOHN B. DENNING.

Witnesses:

ISRAEL ATHERTON, A. BlCoNE, Jr. 

